An Investigation of a Nitrogen Enhanced Steel Processed by Explosive Powder Compaction

Abstract

A structural steel, 35CrMoV steel, has been attempted firstly by explosive powder
compaction followed by sintering (EPC-sintering). The nitrogen content of the steel was 0.15wt%, which was accordant with the definition of high nitrogen steel (HNS). The final density of the EPC-sintering steel was only about 6.9g/cm3, which indicated that the processing parameters must be modulated further. In the sample of this steel, some radial cracks were found around the center of the
cross-section of the steel, resulting in no mechanical tests carrying out. Observing the majority of the rim region of the sample of this steel, the microstructures were very tight, suggesting that it was possible and successful to manufacture HNS through EPC-sintering. The characteristics of the EPC-sintering high nitrogen 35CrMoV steel were that the cementites in the pearlites were found to be extremely fine. There were many (Cr,Mo)23(C,N)6 carbonitrides precipitates in the matrix. Some precipitates were round and others were needle-like. Some were distributing orderly in matrix and crossing over the dislocations. The dislocation density in the EPC-sintering steel remained high.